Keeping Him Safe for Just One Night
by GreenLily474
Summary: Set Between Wrong Days Journey into Right and Witch Wars. Piper is frustrated that she can protect Chris. Being pregnant intensifies that frustration. While talking to Leo about their future she decides to do something about keeping Chris safe. Fluff.


**A Family Moment**

Piper sat in her room at magic school flipping through the pages of yet another book on evil beings but not really absorbing the information. She couldn't seem to focus, she hated being isolated from her family. It was frustrated that the child she was carrying should have been protected, yet his adult form was in the underworld putting himself in God only knew what kind of danger and that an unknown threat was looming over the sweet little boy sleeping in the playpen.

Piper slammed the book shut and walked over to a sleeping Wyatt. She smiled lovingly at her angelic little toddler. "Whatever your brother's doing to save you, it can wait one more night. You're not looking very evil at the moment."

Piper pulled a vial of sleeping potion out of her pocket and patted the beach ball that was her belly. "Sorry, Peanut, I just need to feel like you're safe tonight. You understand, right?" Piper felt a kick at her kidney as that moment. She laughed, "I thought so."

Piper heard the familiar sound of orbing behind her and turned around to see Leo. She pocketed the sleeping potion. "Hey," she said, glad to see her husband.

"Hey," he said with a smile. Wyatt groggily opened his eyes and sat up.

"Dada," he sang happily.

"Hey, slugger," said Leo. He walked over to the playpen and picked up his son. He turned to Piper. "I thought we could finish the talk we were having earlier."

"I'd like that," said Piper. She reached out, gave Leo's hand a squeeze and said in the nearest chair. Leo took the seat next to her. "I hear you and Chris are getting along now." Piper patted her stomach. "I'm happy to hear that bit of good news. How'd you manage that?"

"I just finally realized that I love him and started being a father. It was amazing really, he just broke that stubborn block of his and responded." Leo's smile faltered slightly. He looked sadly from Piper's stomach to Wyatt. "Whatever happened that caused me not to be there for him, I have to stop it. I don't know how, but this time around, I'll be there for all of you."

"What about the other elders?" Piper asked.

"Maybe they should try having families too, it might serve as a good reminder about what we're protecting. Sometimes I think that the distance they keep from the world causes them to lose perspective, maybe it caused me to lose perspective too…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well Chris told me that I didn't have the time for him in the future. I've been wondering how I could not have the time for my own son. Maybe it was all this keeping my distance from the world that I would have to do as an Elder. As a White Lighter, I always personally cared about my charges, but I'm not supposed to personally care for people as an Elder. I know I made a commitment, but it doesn't feel right. This," he gestured to Piper, Wyatt, and an unborn Chris. "feels right."

"Yes, it does," said Piper. "You know, Chris doesn't need a whole lot, just someone to talk to. It meant the world to him that my dad spent time with him just talking in the future and…" she trailed off absently stroking her belly.

"What is it, Piper?" asked Leo.

"Well, my dad told me to spend time with him now. Maybe it's time I took his advise--_Chris!" _Chris orbed in, looking slightly disheveled.

"What is it, Mom? Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, sweetie. I just thought that we've all been getting nowhere trying to find who turns Wyatt on our own, maybe it's time we put our heads together."

"Now?" asked Chris. "I was following a lead in the underworld."

"Yes now," said Piper. "That lead can wait a bit, can't it?" She began brushing pieces of twig off of Chris's shirt.

"Well-" Chris began his eyes met Leo's, who beseeched him with and earnest nod. "I suppose." He shrugged. She walked him over to one of the chairs, sat him down and began fussing over his disheveled state.

"You need another haircut, or you could at least comb it a bit."

"I would, but Demons tend to get suspicious if your appearance is too immaculate when you enter the underworld," Chris answered matter-of-factly.

"He's got a point," said Leo with a small laugh.

"Thanks, Dad," said Chris with a small smile. Piper looked over to see Leo's eyes alight with happiness at Chris addressing him with his parental title. Having her husband and two sons in the room with her had quite the calming effect. Her hand slid from the back of Chris's head to his neck and she felt some scratches.

"What is this, Mister?" Piper asked looking at the cuts. "Why didn't you tell us you were hurt?"

Leo stood up and walked over to get a better look. He put a hand over the cuts and healed them. "How did that happen?" he asked.

"Bat demon," said Chris. "Nothing to worry about." Piper began patting Chris down checking for more injuries. "Aren't I a bit old to be fussed over?"

"You might be in the future, but we're in the present and you haven't been born yet, so sit still," Piper commanded.

Wyatt giggled at seeing his "younger" brother get reprimanded.

"You like seeing your brother getting yelled at," Leo asked. Wyatt giggled more.

"Mini me'll return the favor in the future," said Chris. "There aren't any other injuries to find, mom."

"Are you sure?" Piper asked suspiciously.

"Positive," Chris answered earnestly. "Shall we get to checking the books?"

"Sounds good to me," said Leo handing a book each to his wife and son. The three of them silently got to reading. Piper still couldn't focus on the words. After a few minutes she looked to see Chris concentrating heavily and Leo having the same focus issues as her. Their eyes met and they came to a silent understanding. Both smiled fondly at their neurotically determined son.

"Sweetie," said Piper, putting her hand on his. Chris looked up at his parents. "Can we ask you something?" Chris nodded looking uncertain. "Don't worry," Piper gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "We're not going to ask you anything specific about the future."

"Okay," said Chris. "What is it you want to know?"

"How did you figure out that someone had turned Wyatt evil?" Leo asked. Chris slowly exhaled. He looked at Wyatt sitting contently in his father's arms.

"I just knew he was good by nature," he looked at Piper. "I mean you told me about how he disrupted your ability to blow up demons from the womb. He was a good big brother when we were growing up. I couldn't understand why he became so power hungry and neither could a lot of other people he was close to. We got together and figured out that someone must have gotten to him when he was young and vulnerable. After all, evil beings had been trying to tap into his power since before he was born."

"Seems to be some sort of family tradition," said Piper. Her mind wandered to the time she, Prue, and Phoebe had traveled back in time three hundred years to save baby Melinda Warren, to the time the Source had tried to turn Paige, to the Warlock Nicolas, the Phoebe becoming Cole's queen, to several other events where Halliwell family members had been vulnerable to evil and needed family to save them. Chris was continuing that tradition in his quest to save Wyatt. "We're going to figure out how to save Wyatt, Chris. I don't know how, but we'll do it."

"That's right," said Leo. "We'll figure it out together and save the future."

Chris smiled at his parents. He felt a yawn coming and tried unsuccessfully to suppress it. "When was the last time you slept, young man?" asked Piper sternly.

"I'm fine," said Chris. "Just a little drowsy."

"How about some coffee?" Piper asked. Chris shrugged and nodded. "Leo?"

"I'm alright," Leo answered. Piper stood up, walked over to the kettle and muttered a spell to heat up the water. She glanced at her husband and her sons to make sure no one was looking. She felt a slight pang of guilt for tricking her son, but tonight she needed him here, safe. She pulled the vile of sleeping potion from her pocket and poured it into Chris's coffee.

"Here, sweetie, this should help."

"Thanks, mom," said Chris. Piper sat down and watched Chris drink the coffee. He continued to concentrate on what he was reading. After a few minutes, his eyelids became extremely heavy. He suddenly went limp and the large book he'd been reading fell to the floor.

"Chris!" said Leo shooting up from his chair, setting Wyatt in his playpen and rushing to Chris's side.

"He's fine," said Piper. "I gave him a sleeping potion. Let's just put him in bed."

"Why did you do that?" asked Leo bewildered.

"Because I'm a pregnant, hormonal woman with issues. Now let's get our son into bed." Leo hoisted Chris up from the chair and carried him over to the bed. Piper removed his shoes and socks and tucked him in.

"You want to talk about it?" Leo asked while Piper caressed Chris's cheek.

"I was just feeling helpless," Piper answered with tears prickling in her eyes. Leo sat down next to his wife and put his arms around her. "I'm pregnant. My baby's supposed to be safe here with me. He's in the underworld all the time, putting himself in all kinds of danger. Meanwhile, someone's after Wyatt and we still have no idea who. I just needed one night where I had my sons here and safe."

"That's perfectly understandable," said Leo, he kissed his wife's forehead and caressed her hair. "I'm just not sure Chris'll be thrilled that you tricked him."Piper laughed, "Yeah like he can talk."

"You've got a point," Leo replied starting to laugh himself.

"You know," said Piper thoughtfully. "The way he was always nervous and secretive when he first came here reminds me a lot of the way you used to act when you had something you couldn't tell us. You both get high-pitched voices when you're stressed out. He definitely gets his mannerisms from you." Leo smiled proudly.

"Not all of them, the eye rolling and sarcasm are yours."

"Am I really that bad?" Piper asked.

"I wouldn't call your sarcasm bad," Leo answered. "I've always found it endearing." Piper swatted playfully at her husband. Just then Wyatt orbed to the bed next to his "little" brother. Ha patted Chris's shoulder and grinned contently at his parents. They smiled back. "You happy to have your family together, buddy?"

Wyatt giggled in response. Piper watched her children thoughtfully. "What are you thinking about?" asked Leo.

"I'm just wondering what I ever saw in Dan Gordon."

"You're not alone in that musing," said Leo. Piper giggled.

"Well, on the surface the guy seemed perfect. I mean, he was handsome, sensitive, good with children and all that jazz, but when push came to shove he couldn't deal with me being a witch or a lot of other things. That and he was kind of boring. In retrospect, I think his appeal was soley in him being geographically desirable. I wonder if I ever would have gone out with him if I hadn't been trying so hard to get over you."

"I'm so sorry for all the pain I've caused you, Piper. You know I--"

"Don't be sorry," said Piper cutting him off. "We've had to overcome a lot. I can't imagine fighting this hard for Dan, Greg, or any other man. Besides," she gestured to their sons. "Some things are worth fighting for."


End file.
